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MG MG Y Type - Under Dash cover

Hi Guys
I know originally the Underdash cover / sound deadener(???) was Black Millboard. Millboard is not readily available in Australia and the freight on bringing a ready cut Millboard cover from NTG in UK to Aust. would more than double it's cost.

All the upholsters I have spoken with, use a bituminous impregnated cardboard (3mm thick) as backing on trim panels. It is dark grey in colour and can be purchased from them. Alternatively, I could grab some black corrugated (flute) board from my daughters.

All the Underdash covers I have viewed appear to have a vinyl like finish (see photo). I am therefore thinking of making my own Cover, using the bituminous cardboard and covering it with thin black vinyl. As I don't want to remove all the under dash wiring, pipes etc, I am considering making it in 3 pieces (with overlaps) - one each side of battery box and a central battery box cover (incl sides).

Has anyone done this before?

cheers Stuart


Stuart Duncan

Out of interest Stuart what do NTG charge for pre-cut?

Paul
Paul R Barrow

I have never been a fan of millboard - on an MGB I converted to LHD the owner wanted the bracketry & wiper motor covered up on the new passenger side so I made up a curved steel panel and painted it with black crackle to match the dash.

Not a brilliant picture but you get the idea.

Chris at Octarine Services

Chris, the Underdash cover on the Y type covers the firewall and provides insulation from engine sound and heat. It is not the same as the under dash cover on the TF which is attached below the wiring etc behind the dash.

Paul, I have to apologize. I thought NTG included the Underdash cover in their upholstery kit, but they don't - only door and front and rear quarter panel covers are included, which is over 1000 Pounds. (outside my budget)

Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Still no reason not to make it in steel and then insulate the back of it with underbonnet felt or similar insulating material.

Finished in crackle black it looks similar to millboard.
Chris at Octarine Services

Chris,

Is octarine services just another forum, or workshop? Are you Y owner?

Cheers
Richard
R E Knight

My boot and under dash is lined with a millboard type material which has a shiny, patterned vinyl facing. I don't know what it's called but I think it was sourced locally (Melbourne). If you like, I will contact my trimmer mate and ask him the name of this product and a source of supply. If it's available in Melbourne, I would have thought it would also be available in Brisbane. I will try to upload a pic for you.
Neil
N Wakeman

No success with Loading pic - send me your email address and maybe I can do it that way! My address is lynneil@spin.net.au
N Wakeman

Richard,

Octarine Services is my company - MGOC 5 star/5 spanner recommended - until recently I was converting / restoring / servicing all types of MGs from a 1946 TC through to MGFs. Recent ill health has slowed me down considerably so I am now concentrating on mostly my own cars, a 1965 Sprite, a Jubilee BGT, a 77 BGT and a 73 V8 roadster.

No I don't own a Y type - I have enough trouble justifying my current fleet!

The technical forum was started way back in the last century and still attracts many visitors but few contributors now.
Chris at Octarine Services

Pictures must be less than 4mB and a regconised picture format - GIF, PNG, JPG, JPEG etc format. If you are having problems loading them, email them to me and I will check the format for you and resize and post for you.

Richard - Chris is a VERY good gearbox man as well as being highly recommended guy for all the stuff he lists. He has rebuilt one of mine and is a really nice chap!! Before I left the UK I sold him my MG MGB GT which sadly was written off in a joy-rider police chase while parked :(!!

Chris - in the Y the millboard covers across the entire inside of the bulkhead and the battery box bottom comes down through the firewall on three sides so making a very complex shape rather than a flat surface. There are also three linear curves up from the bottom of the toe board to consider too so it is a really weird shape to fabricate in metal never mind millboard.

If NTG supply the millboard precut, and the 'woolly' insulation material I would go for their solution even if doubling their supply cost for shipping as it will save labor on the back end folks.

Paul
Paul Barrow

Chris,

Thanks for reply.

Paul, always good to have a recommended supplier mechanic based on positive feedback.

Richard
R E Knight

Following Neil's offline suggestion, I found a supplier of the correct material which is known here as "Black Embossed Trimboard".

It is 1.5mm thick and looks good. The best part by buying from an Upholstery supplier (Daley's), it cost only around 60% of the bituminous cardboard I purchased a few weeks ago. Sheets are 1.25m x 1.54m.

I will post a photo in a few weeks time when installed.

Stuart
Stuart Duncan

HI all,
I have just finished the under-dash panel using the black embossed trim board.
But for the patch panel I used 3mm black embossed ABS. (I had some scrape pieces here.)
Visually similar, though it catches the light a bit more than the trim panel.

I followed LTBY's up to a point, but whereas it says one hole in the patch panel is unused, I thought otherwise.
This hole overlays one of the bolts from the steering column bracket. Replacing that bolt with a longer one, which then projects through the patch panel, I was able to tie the cable clamp effectively to the firewall, rather than the patch panel.
You can see the different response to light in the image, though in "normal" light the two materials are very similar.
The ABS is a lot stiffer of course. Cheers KG

(PS probably just telling Grandma how to suck eggs.)









K G Mills

And a wider view.

K G Mills

KG, your Underdash cover looks better than mine.

Reading the posts, I thought I had better fullfill my last post and post a photo of my completed installed cover. I have enough material left to make another one when and if I get around to doing a complete restoration of the YT.

Attached is a photo of my finished product with home made front qtr panels. Battery box end sections are seperate sections. Carpet was cheap from Bunnings (Hardware).
cheers Stuart

Stuart Duncan

Hi Stuart,
one thing about the trim board is that it is grey on the edges.
And I had a few spots where the folding distressed the finish, whatever that is.
I used to do a bit of picture framing, and have a draw of bits including what is called "frame putty", used if a mitre doesn't quite go as it should.
Using a warmed up black one, and rubbing it along the folds and edges tidies the thing up quite nicely. Boot polish would do something similar on the edges, but wouldn't have a filler capability.

cheers KGM
K G Mills

Stuart,

Would it be possible to get a layout, or drawing of the under dash panel. I am missing mine completely, and have no idea what it would look like and where it would be installed in the car.

If the trim board gets"grey" where cut and / or creased, you might try a little acetone on a rag and wipe the edge or the crease. It might just make it black again. I would try it on a scrap piece first.

... CR.
CR Tyrell

CR
LTBYs has a number of pages on the "Under Dashboard Sound Deadening Liner Trim" section in chapter 12.

Sorry I have no diagram, a few photos but they are similar to those in LTBYs.

I used this LTBYs section as a guide. I started with basic measurments of area to eb covered, then made cardboard templates to fit, then more templates until I was satisfied with a shape which fitted. A lot of trial fits before a final product is cut.

If fitting to an existing car with steering column in place, then I suggest it be made in either 2 or 3 pieces with overlaps. Plus of course the secton KW has outlined and the 2 triangle pieces that cover the sides of the battery box.

As per LTBYs, you use small diameter & length gutter bolts and nuts to hold board and underlay in place. Bolts go through firewall, using existing small holes.

cheers Stuart
Stuart Duncan

Hi CR, I do have most of my old one. So I could made up a paper pattern and maybe post it to you. Postage can't be a lot.

However, I would take the advice of Stuart and do a lot of trail fit ups. I made mine slightly oversize , the trim board is easily cut with shears or a box knife.
The trim board seems like a grey cardboard with a black surface finish. I scored it where it is folded, with a double score. That seems to allow the layers in the card to sort of buckle at the fold. The original is like that too. I also scoured the back part way through ( actually with a rat tail file dragged along the surface) when folding away from the surface coating.
I think the ABS is definitely worth it for the patch piece. because of the extra stiffness.
I used a butyl layer on the fire wall, and an adhesive insulating foam on the back of the trim board.
I used bifurcated rivets to make the triangular end pieces, the assembly process is best done with the extra hands of a compliant spouse. (Such as I am blessed with.)

regards KG








K G Mills

KG, Thanks for the photos. It is a more complicated affair than the T series. No wonder so many do not survive.

A tracing would be wonderful. Maybe we can get a drawing made to post on the Y-Register.

It is going to be awhile before I get to that stage. Currently I have to replace the clutch and rear seal, so I can get out and drive the YT this summer.

Send me an email if you wish.

Thanks again... CR
CR Tyrell

I restored my original millboard soundproofing but removed the felt/horsehair backing as it was full of vermin. I replaced it with neoprene 4mm soundproofing material cut to fit. Part of the battery box part disintegrated so I used a the cover from an old book cover to repair it.
The objective was to eliminate draughts and noise, which it does very well indeed. I also used thin cork shims between the floor panels and the chassis members, which also reduces draught.
A J R Felthouse

When I have finished the floor drawings, I will do a dimensioned drawing of the firewall panel - for central & offset battery box.

I used to get weekends off work, but now I am retired I get no days off !.

Tony
A L SLATTERY

This thread was discussed between 17/03/2017 and 16/06/2020

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